Can the volvo 200 hp diesel in the cd 28 moteryacht be run at low rpms,say 5 knots most of time while cruising without damaging the engine? Can the same engine be run every other day at a idle to charge the batteries while at anchorage for a week? I would rather cruise at 5 knots than 13 knots should I be looking for a smaller engine? I would appreciate any feedback from anyone with any experance running your engine in this manner. Bob Child
bobmarye@yahoo.com
voivo 200 hp diesel
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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Kurt
how the inventors of diesel engines run them
I've read that diesel powered Mercedes automobile engines are run continuously all winter in very cold climates...idling them at night for many hours at a time while using only pints of fuel...truckers also idle their diesel engines for long periods of time at freeway rest stops.
I wouldn't worry about idling your Volvo to charge batteries or running the engine for long periods of time under light load (i.e. 5 knots)...just make sure your propellor is sized correctly which would be an indication of the WOT (wide open throttle) RPM as recommended in the owner's manual for your particular engine.
One caveat might be that to simply start the engine for a brief time to charge batteries would result in the engine and lubricating oil never coming up to proper operating temperature...doing this repeatedly is not be good for any intenal combustion engine...diesel or gasoline
kjlgpw@aol.com
I wouldn't worry about idling your Volvo to charge batteries or running the engine for long periods of time under light load (i.e. 5 knots)...just make sure your propellor is sized correctly which would be an indication of the WOT (wide open throttle) RPM as recommended in the owner's manual for your particular engine.
One caveat might be that to simply start the engine for a brief time to charge batteries would result in the engine and lubricating oil never coming up to proper operating temperature...doing this repeatedly is not be good for any intenal combustion engine...diesel or gasoline
kjlgpw@aol.com
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Larry DeMers
Re: how the inventors of diesel engines run them
The reason that truckers run their engines while at idle..especially in the winter is that diesel tends to gel up in extreme cold temps, making the restarting process hard on the engine.
Running a diesel engine with a 2 or 3 hp load on it, such as a high output alternator would represent is a very bad practice. The engine runs at it's most efficient when loaded to 80% of it's rated hp, and running at temp. To use it to simply charge the battery is one of the causes of early rebuilds. Piston rings tend to get gummed up and stuck, valves and exhaust passages accumulate more carbon and tars due to the low temp and condensation in the engine under that light load.
Talk with a reputable diesel mechanic (truck mechanic preferred),and he will verify this. Best to do your charging while motoring, or get secondary charging sources going for you (solar, wind, water).
Cheers,
Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30
demers@sgi.com
Running a diesel engine with a 2 or 3 hp load on it, such as a high output alternator would represent is a very bad practice. The engine runs at it's most efficient when loaded to 80% of it's rated hp, and running at temp. To use it to simply charge the battery is one of the causes of early rebuilds. Piston rings tend to get gummed up and stuck, valves and exhaust passages accumulate more carbon and tars due to the low temp and condensation in the engine under that light load.
Talk with a reputable diesel mechanic (truck mechanic preferred),and he will verify this. Best to do your charging while motoring, or get secondary charging sources going for you (solar, wind, water).
Cheers,
Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30
Kurt wrote: I've read that diesel powered Mercedes automobile engines are run continuously all winter in very cold climates...idling them at night for many hours at a time while using only pints of fuel...truckers also idle their diesel engines for long periods of time at freeway rest stops.
I wouldn't worry about idling your Volvo to charge batteries or running the engine for long periods of time under light load (i.e. 5 knots)...just make sure your propellor is sized correctly which would be an indication of the WOT (wide open throttle) RPM as recommended in the owner's manual for your particular engine.
One caveat might be that to simply start the engine for a brief time to charge batteries would result in the engine and lubricating oil never coming up to proper operating temperature...doing this repeatedly is not be good for any intenal combustion engine...diesel or gasoline
demers@sgi.com